Chapter 20 – A Mission

When Kushina came down for lunch later that day she found Minato in a foul mood. She had never seen Minato like that before so she got worried.

When she asked him what was wrong Minato told her and Kushina didn't know what to think.

"I would have thought you had learned your lesson before the wedding," she said, rather harshly.

"I was shocked that was all," Minato defended himself. "Besides it's true, I tried to make her see reason but she insisted on marrying that bastard anyway".

"What would you have done if she had… 'seen reason' as you put it?" Kushina asked.

Minato thought about it for a moment.

"I guess I'd think of something," he said after a while.

"I figured you'd say that," Kushina said. "However that was not what I was asking. What 'something' would you do?"

Minato fell silent.

"I knew it," Kushina said. "You don't know a thing about ninja clans, do you?"

Minato was about to object but Kushina cut him off.

"Well I'll tell you something then," she said. "Arranged marriages are common in ninja clans, most women are even forbidden from becoming ninja because their fathers would rather have the at home in the kitchen. If I hadn't been my father's first-born I probably wouldn't have been a ninja either, and my father stopped my training too after my brother was born, my father had probably already started thinking about marrying me off to someone before he…" Kushina held a pause and took some deep breaths to calm herself. Minato knew that her family was still a hard subject for her.

"Anyway I don't think Mikoto had a choice in the matter of her marriage really so no matter how long you had sat down and how hard you had thought you wouldn't have been able to prevent anything so stop taking your frustration out on her, especially in her current condition, do you have any idea how hurtful you can be when you open your mouth?"

Minato was shocked. This was probably the most he had heard her say at once for a long time. He didn't want to admit it but she was right. He shouldn't have said what he said to Mikoto but could eh really sound that hurtful?

"Am I… really that bad?" he asked her and looked at her with a saddened expression.

Kushina's upset expression softened a little.

"Yes you are".

"I'm sorry," Minato said, his voice filled with guilt.

"Don't apologize to me now, it's Mikoto you have to talk to".

"I know," Minato said. "But I don't think she wants to talk to me right now".

"Figures," Kushina said. "Just give her some time".

"I just wish she didn't have to marry that guy and all".

"Are you…" Kushina paused. Minato looked at her expectantly.

"You're not jealous are you?"

"What?" Minato asked her in surprise. "Jealous of what? Of whom?"

"You know, that guy she married, are you jealous of him?" Kushina looked really uncomfortable asking this.

"Hey let's get one thing straight," Minato said. "Mikoto and I are just friends, best friends, always have been and always will be... or at least I hope so, I'm just worried about her that's all, I'm not in love with her or something".

"Alright, I was just wondering," Kushina said. "Good thing you aren't because you wouldn't have been able to get her".

"I know that," Minato said. "Don't you have to be at the ramen stand now?"

"Oh no I overslept!" Kushina jumped up from her chair. "I completely forgot, I hope there haven't been any costumers wondering why it's closed, Teuchi is going to kill me!"

"Calm down," Minato said. "He won't get mad, without you the ramen stand wouldn't be open at all, just got here now and do your job".

"I will, bye Minato, have a nice day!" With that Kushina was out of the house.

Minato chuckled. "Well thanks for the talk".

Minato didn't see Mikoto at all the next couple of months. It led him to believe that she was avoiding him, that or she was being held inside the Uchiha estates to stay safe. But he supposed it might be good for them to get some time apart to cool down and get over their 'talk'.

Minato just hoped that Mikoto was all right.

He was just on his way home from a walk when he heard someone shout his name. He stopped and turned around to see who it was.

It was a tall guy covered in dark clothing from head to toe, the only visible area was the bridge of his nose and his eyes, which were actually covered by a pair of dark sunglasses.

"Shibi Aburame," Minato acknowledged.

"Lord Hokage needs us for an S-class mission," Shibi said.

"Ah," Minato said. "Let's get to the tower".

They didn't bother walking thought the main entrance to the tower; instead they jumped through the window in the Hokage's office.

Sarutobi didn't seem to mind though.

"I have a special mission for you three," the old man said.

'Three?' Minato wondered and looked around the room and spotted Chouza Akimichi.

"I am putting your old ANBU team together for this special mission," the Third Hokage explained.

"What do we have to do?" Minato asked.

Sarutobi removed his pipe from is mouth and made a hand gesture towards the corner of the room. Now Minato noticed the shadow of a figure in the corner. Said figure stepped out form the shadows. It was a woman about Tsunade's age. She had long brown hair tied in a tight ponytail in the back of her neck and she was wearing ragged clothes and the circles under her eyes suggested that she hadn't slept for days.

"Mrs. Tsubaki will tell you everything she told me".

Kushina sat in the corner of the ramen stand with one of Minato's books. She hadn't had any costumers the last half hour so she was taking a break. Her breaks became less frequent since the weather got warmer with time. Now they were in the month of May. She had almost been in this village for a year now. It was weird to think that but she had come to see the Leaf Village as her home now. She also didn't refer to the Namikaze house more as Minato's home but her home as well. She didn't know if Minato would like those thoughts but she wouldn't tell him either. Sooner or later he would ask her to move out to get her own place, right? Tsunade had told her that Minato wanted a family, a wife and kids, so she couldn't stay forever; she doubted his wife would like that and there wouldn't be room either. Why was she thinking about this all of a sudden? This was something Minato should think about not her.

"One beef ramen please".

Kushina was pulled out of her thoughts by hearing the costumer. She rose from her chair and went to the counter to look. It was Kakashi.

"C-coming right up," Kushina stuttered in surprise.

When she had finished Kakashi's ramen she placed the bowl in front of him. She went back to her book because she knew that Kakashi wouldn't eat unless he was 100 percent sure that no one was looking at his face after he had taken off his mask.

"Ah there you are Kakashi," Kushina heard an all too familiar voice say. "I'm glad I found you here, that allows me to kill two birds with one stone".

"Is it a mission or something?" Kakashi asked.

Kushina closed her book and went to the counter to see Minato.

"Hello Kushina," Minato said. "I just came by to give you the keys to the house, I'm going on a mission".

Kushina took the pair of keys Minato had put on the counter and placed them safely in her pocket.

"For how long?" she asked.

"I don't know, not more than a week I hope," the blonde said.

"A whole week?" Kushina exclaimed.

"Something wrong with that?" Minato asked.

Kushina said nothing. She wouldn't admit that she would miss his company gravely.

"What kind of mission is it?"

"I can't tell you that, it's confidential," Minato said. "Sorry".

"That's alright," Kushina said and shrugged. "I'm not sure I want to know anyway, just return home safely".

"Cute," Kakashi said. "Now what do you need me for sensei?"

Kushina tried to hide her blush but it didn't go well although luckily Minato moved his gaze from her to his student.

"I asked Lord Hokage to add you to my team for this mission and he agreed. I hope you're up for it because it's S-class".

"Sure," Kakashi said. "I've been wanting a break from D- and C-ranks for ages".

Minato turned to glance at Kushina. "Bye, I'll see you when I get back".

Kushina nodded. "Go kick some enemy butt".

Minato sweat dropped. "I will, go kick some… eh make some ramen".

Kushina sighed and Minato left with Kakashi.

'Well then I guess it's just me and the books tonight,' Kushina thought.

Wow. I don't think I've ever updated so fast in my life ever. But I feel great. But now I'm really tired, it was jsut my stubborn self that wanted to finish this and update before I went to bed. Here it is 1.15 AM right now. Might not be that late but I'm really tired now. Aaaah school starts again in four days, I don't want to go back, why can't I just be like those people who write a book at 13 and become selling authors and then make a living of it? Then I wouldn't have to get this stupid education. I hope you liked this chapter. And some of you will be pleased that this story will ahve slightly more action in the following chapters. Anyone seen the fourth Shippuuden movie? That's pretty much what the next few chapters will be about.